Local musichall in need of help

Hello,

I'm a member of the classical music department of our local musichall. I volunteir there every now and then and get the change to meet conducters and musicians.

I recieved and urgent email recently in which they asked their members what we would suggest to boost their visitor numbers. The classical concerts are apparrently ill visited. To an extend that the call out to us for help.

Since i'm wanting to get my music performed in this hall someday and for the sake of classical music in my town and in general i've taking this quit seriously and i'm writting a report on the subject of ways to enhance visitor levels in musichalls concerning the classical music concerts.

I know this subject have been debated, but I want to ask you: What could a local musichall do to increase the ticketsales concerning classical music. Those any of you have seen succelfull projects in their local hall. Tell me anything you think of or have seen. By means of internet, special projects, more works by local composers, more famous works. They will filter what they think is helpfull and what isn't.

Take notice that they are the major music hall in an area of aproximatly 400.000 people. So their reach out is reasonable large.

This IS a big topic, and a major problem for "art" music in our time.

Where'd the audience go? To be honest, they're getting old and dying.

Find a new audience. You'll notice many major orchestras around the world are focusing their marketing towards the youth/student crowd. You'll find hip, sexy posters, student prices, open rehearsals/sound-checks and more creative ventures with the aim to entice twentysomethings to come out to the symphony. Younger musicians/conductors, cross-genre programming, 'Pops' concerts.... Getting into the 21st Century with proper websites and podcasts, downloads, etc.

Perhaps also, the crux of the problem lies in education. If the kids aren't raised and educated with an appreciation for art music, the coming generations will only show an even more marked decline in support for classical music. Outreach and educational projects are important...

Education also need not only be for kids - adults, especially the uninitiated are often intimidated by "classical" music. They don't know the history, the repertoire, ettiquette, the instruments... It's all very daunting. If we can dispel these archaic traditions and encourage a more lively audience experience I think that would help.... let them clap in the middle, let them wear jeans and t-shirts, serve popcorn and cokes...

That said, I don't know what your musichall can do to try and expand their patronage....large tvs and lazer shows? Rappers? get Nickelback to play in the lobby at intermission? Ladies nights? $3 shooters? Kazoos and tamborines?

Actually the pastiche approach toi programming has mixed results.

Here are few things to improve attendance -

Offer concerts featuring two art forms - concert music done in the midst of a sculpture or painting exhibit

Review the quality of your performers and their acquaintance with the cannon and newer music. Nothing grabs new audience members as a fantstic, well committed performance.

Do retrospectives of living composers. Have the composer share their compositional process with the audience. it can be very simple - I spent 7 hours writing 30 second of music because matching electronic sounds with acoustic present these challenges. Or some other reason. People LOVE a story - especially of one overcoming an obstacle. When they hear the piece they will be more receptive and feel more comfortable judging it.

As for advertising - yes but it has to be focused and well presented.

Now here is an example of a rather outlandish concert program -

Music used for Fashion Runways - Go to fashion designers who enjoy and some knowledge of contemporary classical and classical music. Ask them what classical (one contemporary and one from the cannon) works they have used for their shows. Then you could have a few of these pieces performed with videos of the various designers shows in the background.

The possibilities are quite wide if you allow yourself to be a little silly with your imagination. Anyway it is easier to prune than to coax.

Review the quality of your performers and their acquaintance with the cannon and newer music. Nothing grabs new audience members as a fantstic, well committed performance.

Could you ellaborate on this proposal? I plainly don't understand. This might very well be due to the fact that i'm not a native english speaker.

I dunno; I think you could find a niche with "new and adventurous" music. Doesn't matter what it is exactly, people will try and see what it is. Also, getting some jazz-crossover musicians might help to grab other crowds...

Also $3 call drinks might be good.

Sorry gijs - when it comes to typing replies to these threads my typing skills fail.

I meant check how knowledgeable your performers are about contemporary classical music - for example are there specialists in minimalism or "new complexity" style you can use? Also, see if you can attract performers who have a diverse repertoire - they can play Mozart, Berio, Bach, Ferneyhough (ok, maybe not all of these styles!).

Ferk - yes you can create a niche with new adverturous music but this needs clarification. You could do this simply by choosing a year - celebrate 4 Dutch composers born in 1968.

Oh, $3 drinks are alright but $1 is better.

Education also need not only be for kids - adults, especially the uninitiated are often intimidated by "classical" music. They don't know the history, the repertoire, ettiquette, the instruments... It's all very daunting. If we can dispel these archaic traditions and encourage a more lively audience experience I think that would help.... let them clap in the middle, let them wear jeans and t-shirts, serve popcorn and cokes...

This actually sounds like a REALLY good idea. Bring the movies to the concert hall! Yeah! :thumbsup:

This actually sounds like a REALLY good idea. Bring the movies to the concert hall! Yeah! :thumbsup:

Seriously! There's a huge social stigma attached to "the symphony" and "classical music" which repels the younger crowd, along with potential new listeners.

If we can dispel the sense of elitism and exclusivity than we can only augment Art music's presence... I think.

In my opinion:

Advertise to the older audience, and change the programming. Do not play Bach, Mozart, Beethoven or the real oldies. Personally, I never listen to the classical music station because they play uninteresting music, despite my love for "classical" music.

I think this website is very unique to have "young" fans of classical music...this is not the norm from my experience, at least coming from northern New Jersey (perhaps it is the culture here). Young kids dislike anything that is too complicated (note, this is not including anyone here)

CHopin - Hey are you a jersey guy? Me too raised around the Jersey City area.

Anyway - I don't know about young audiences into modern classical music. Yes a more relaxed atmosphere would be welcomed. Yet, if a multimovement work is to be heard as a whole, sometimes a quiet approval is welcomed --- though I do think people shouldn't be stuck in their seats with overglazed concentration (or boredom ... ).

Yup, I'm a Jersey guy. We are pretty much neighbors if you live near Jersey City, as I am about 20 miles west from you.

Well Chopin I now live in Queens but my family live in a town a few miles outside jersey City. Whenever you are in the city or plan to be in jersey City Hoboken area, pm me. I'd love to meet one of the people behind this wonderful website!

I'm in Nyack now though I did live in Queens for five years. Astoria to be exact. For those unfamiliar with NYC, Nyack is a northern suburb on New York about a 45min drive, 35 min, train ride away from Midtown.

Yup, I'm a Jersey guy. We are pretty much neighbors if you live near Jersey City, as I am about 20 miles west from you.

You know Red Bank?

I hardly ever go to NYC, but if I ever decide to go, I'll let you know ;)

I know Red Bank, my parents go there sometimes to shop for antiques. I also go to the Palisades mall sometimes, in Nyack. You guys are so close to me!

Anyway, back on topic, I feel bad that I hijacked this thread!

Yay! Palisades Mall! My parents detest it, I love it.

This is something I've thought about quite a bit. I attended a concert a while ago where the violin soloist (playing a modern piece) wore a brightly covered paisley shirt, untucked, and trotted all around the stage. An elderly man in front of me kept complaining about his appearance with such banal comments as "It'd be nice if he dressed up" and "he looks like he stepped off a subway platform."

Anyways, I envision a group of musicians, all standing and facing the audience and playing with the exaggerated enthusiasm of a pop or rock band. All this in a venue free of all the current social stigmas.

Maybe we should bring "classical" music to bars, clubs, and stadiums?

Marketing is the clue, and ill marketing is the problem. You WILL need to advertise and to reach out. You WILL need to spend a large amount of money NOW, in order to have more in the future. This is how things work.

And +1 To everything that Robin says. Wherever, whenever, even when talking along to Natalie: I simply agree to everything he says! :)